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2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. R@ ALLEN. MOWING MACHINE.

,020. Paten-ted J'anf1,`18,84.

N. PETERS,-Phum-Linmgnpmr. Wfl-ningun EL c.

l UNITED STATES @PATENT miren.

HORACE Il. ALLEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MoWlNge-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersi Patent No. 291,020, dated January 1, 1884.

Application filed December 1, 1882.

which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a front elevation (showing some parts in cross-section) of a machine embodying my invention, as seen from the dotted line z .e in Figs'. 2 and 3; Fig. 2, a top or plan* view of the same; Fig. 3,' a longitudinal vertical sectional view, as seen when looking to the right from the dotted line 1/ jz/ in Figs. l and 2; Fig. 4, a view of the opposite side of the shoe P and casting Qto that shown in Fig.

3 when in the relation they occupy while being put together; Fig. 5, a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, looking downwardly from the dotted line x x in Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a sectional view looking to the left fromthe dotted linew win Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a sectional view of bar; N, said Cutterbar; O, the finger-bar; P 'the shoe; Q, a hollow casting connecting the.

the clutch on the dotted line o o in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8, a crosssection of the cutter-bar and Viinger-loar on the dotted line u a; Fig. 9, a

cross-section of the finger-bar alone on the dotted line t t,- Fig. l0, an inside view of the hub of the wheel A, as seen from the dotted `line y y in Fig. l; Fig. l1, a crosssection of the ysame on the dotted line r Ir; Fig. 12, a detail sectional view similar to aportion of Fig.

`3; and Fig. 13, a view vsimilar to Fig. l2, eX-

cept that the point at which the section is taken is nearer the outer end of the portion P.

In said drawings, the portions marked A A represent the Wheels of the machine; B, the axle; C, the frame-work or inclosing-casing, usually termed the gear-casey D, the

'tongue or pole; E, the seat; F G HI J K, a

gear-ease C and said shoe; R, a brace-rod for `.holding said casting and the shoe in place; S,

a combined brace for the Vton fue D and sup port for the cutterbar lifter, and T said cutter-bar lifter.

"a tongue.

the shaft M.

(No model.)

rlhe wheels A Af are in general form not unlike other wheels for thepurpose.. Two of the spokes a in each wheel, however, instead of entering the hub straight, as spokes usuallyT do, turn at right angles at their inner ends, as shown,` and are thus adapted to serve as pivots for the pawls LQ-which engage with the ratchet` wheels A, and thus form the usual ratchet-con nection between the hub and the axle. Vires a2 serve both as pins to hold said pawls upon their pivots, and as springs to keep them engaged with the ratchet-wheels.

The axle B is similar to other axles for like purposes, and is provided with the .various bearings, splines, Src., 'which are necessary to accommodate the parts mounted thereon. A bearing, B', near one end serves as la point of attachment for the braces R and S. Said bear ing is secured in place by collars b b.

The gear-case C serves to inclosethe system of driving-gears and to support the shaft' M and the upper end of the casting Q. Its form is clearly shown in the drawings.

rlhe tongue D is secured to the axle B at its rear end and to the brace S ata point in front of said axle, and serves the usual -purpose of The seat E is secured thereto in the ordinary manner.

In the system of gears shown that marked vF is internally toothed, and is iixedly secured the axle, and mesh into both the internal gear,

F, and the smaller or pinion portionof the double gear J. The larger or bevel portion of said wheel J meshes into the pinionK on y Vhen the clutch L is ,not engaged with the hub of the wheel I, the gears remain motionless, and the shaft M and cutting machinery` are therefore out of operation.'

Vhen, however, the clutch Lis thrown into engagement with the hub of thewheel I, said wheel-is thereby put in motion, and with it the wheels G and H, which, thrcugli` the engagement of said wheels G and H withthe internal gear, F, also drive the wheel J. This arrangement gives said wheel J a rapid rate of speed,

and thus also drives the wheel K and shaft M -very fast, asis necessary in mechanism for this purpose. y

The clutch by which the gearing is thrown4 shaft.

into or out of operation is, owing,r to the construction of the machine, necessarily a revolving clutch, and is therefore of somewhat peculiar construction. It is composed of the clutch portion L, which is mounted on the axle B, and is caused to revolvetherewith by means of a spline, b, and the operating portion L', which is permitted to partially rotate on the axle. A pin, l', passes down through the spline and the axle, and serves to hold the same. The operating portion L' has inclined faces, (see particularly Fig. 2,) which come in contact with the pin l'. As said portion L' is moved around past this pin, it is forced back, and thus draws the clutch part L out of engagement with the clutch part formed by the hub of the wheel I, which permits the gears and cutting mechanism to be idle. Small notches at the termination of the inclined faces receive the pin, and thus hold the clutch disengaged until purposely released. As soon as the part L' is released, which is done by turning it slightly, it is operated to force the clutch back into engagement by the spring L`,which is placed between it and the hub t of one portion ofthe cutter-bar lifter; or, in case no cutter-bar lifter of this kind is used, a simple collar is used instead of the hub, as shown in Fig. 7. This clutch has been described at length because it is desirable in order that the operation of the machine may be fully understood. Said clutch is not, however, claimed herein, but is reserved as the subject-matter of a future application for Letters Patent.

The shaft M extends from above the gearease, where it bears the y-wheel M', to the cutter-bar, where it bears the crank M2. It rests in bearings on the gear-case, as shown, and is driven by the system of gears just described. The ily-wheel M' is a feature of my invention. lt is mounted loosely on the shaft M, and thus said shaft is permitted to revolve without necessarily driving said fly-wheel, except when engaged by means of a ratchet or clutch device. Such a device is shown so arranged that when the shaft is pnt in motion in its usual direction it actuates the ily-wheel only by the friction existing between the fixed hub m on the shaft and the hub m of said flywheel. As will be readily understood, this permits the shaft to start much more easily than if the fly-wheel were rigid therewith, as the force required to put a heavy body suddenly in motion is considerable. rlhe friction between the parts soon puts the ily-wheel in motion, and after a few revolutions the motion vis the same as if it were rigid with the The ratchet being of such form that the fly-wheel cannot turn faster than the shaft, it will be readily seen that in case the shaft is held back from any cause--as the choking of Ythe knives in the grass o1` grain-the ily-wheel derstand that, owing to the frequent stopping and startingof the rapidly-revolving shaft- M,

a rigid fly-wheel would be impraetieable, as the severe jerks caused by starting the same suddenly would be very liable to break portions ot' the mechanism, besides making the labor of starting the machine very heavy. My invention obviatcs these disadvantages, and at the same time secures in a mowing-inachine the well-known advantages arising from the use of a ily-wheel in machinery where dead-centers are to be overcome or unequal resistance compensated for.

The cutter-bar N and finger-bar O, as shown, are of a desirable form. These parts, however, being substantially like those shown and described in another application for Letters Patent, will not be further described herein.

The shoe P is similar in its general form to the ordinary shoe, but is provided with a different means of attachment to the casting Q, by which all bolts and such like devices are dispensed with. A barrel-like projection, P', having an internal lug, p', is formed upon said shoe, and receives a cylindrical projection, Q', on the casting Q,which has a groove, y', therein, into which the projection p' fits. \Vhen these two parts are placed together, as will lbe presently described) they are held from coming apart by this arrangement. A portion, P2, having a concave surface on which isa rib,

' p2, is also formed on the shoe P on the opposite side of the casting Q from the projection P'. A groove, qu, in the corresponding face of the casting Q lits over this rib p", and aids in holding the parts in proper relative position.

ICO

A handle, P", is bolted fast to the shoe, whereby the point of the shoe may be elevated or depressed. It has a stem, p1",which engages with the casting Q, and thus said handle is made to serve also as a brace between the parts P and Q, as hereinafter specified.

rlhe casting Q connects the gear-case and the shoe P together, and forlns bearin gs for the shaft M and the inner end of the cutter-bar N. It is attached to the gear-case C by being screwed into a projecting portion, c, formed thereon to receive it, and to the shoe P bythe cylindrical projection Q', which enters the cylindrical opening in the projection P' on said shoe. It is held from displacement when in position by the grooves Q' and q" and the lugs or ribs p' and p2, which engage therewith. The parts P and Q are connected together by being placed in position substantially at right angles to each other, (see Fig. 4,) in which position the lugs, ribs, and grooves are in such rela tion that the casting Q maybe slipped on the shoe P until the engaging portions are in proper relation. The parts are then turned until they occupy the relation to cach other shown by the other iignres,when the lugs, ribs, and grooves interlock, and the casting and shoe are thus held together without the use of any bolts or other separate fastening devices, and the cost of such devices and the litt-ing incident to the use of the same is thus saved. The casting Q has upon its side a segmental slide, q, with which the brace end p of a combined brace and handie, P, on the shoe P engages. As said handle is moved back and forth in elevating or depressing the shoe, said brace end moves in said slide, but bears uniformly thereon at all times. By this means a brace is securedbetween the shoe P and casting Q without in any way interfering with the usual independent movementof said parts.

rIhe brace It extends from the bearing B' on the axle B to an eye, r, on the casting Q, and prevents' said casting, Athe shoe, and cutting mechanism from being forced or pulled around by the resistance of the cutting pressure,while at the saine time it permits the cutter and finger bars to be freely lifted or otherwise operated iu the usual manner.

The brace S extends from thc bearing B to past the tongue D. It holds said tongue from being twisted around, and supports the wheel of the cutter-bar-lifting mechanism T. It is only peculiar in extending out to a point nearly directly above the heel of the cutter-bar, and thus supporting the lifter in a position where it can be the most effective, which, as there is no frame-work of the ordinary character on this machine, would otherwise be impracticable.

The cutter-barlifter is or may be of any of the varieties which have 4been described in previous applications for Letters Patent which I have made, or such other as may hereafter be adopted, a cutter-bar lifter forming no part of my present invention. l

The machine as a whole, itwill be observed, has but few bolts or nuts, but is fastened together mainly by means of the `parts fitting together and interlocking with each other. This, together with the addition of a fly-wheel the lightening and strengthening of the lingerbar and cutter-bar, `and the improved and inexpensive means of securing the fingers and knives thereon, form the features ofl my invention, and render it light, strong, and of comparatively small cost.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The combination, with the shaft M of a mowing-machine,which connects the driving- Ygear and the cutter-bar, said shaft having the ratchet-faced hub m rigidly mounted thereon,

of the fly-wheel M', loosely mounted on said shaft, and having the ratchet-faced hub m,

which is adapted to engage with the hub m, the teeth of said ratchets being inclined in the' direction which permits the shaft to turn without turning the ily-wheel, substantially as and P, thereon, said parts being secured together by thc formation thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the casting Q and the shoe P, said casting being provided with the projection Q', having a groove, and said shoe having a projection, P', through which is an opening, in which is a suitable lug to engage with said groove, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the shoe P, having projection P and portion P2, and casting Q, having projecting portion Q, and a face fitting the portion P2, said face and said portion being provided, respectively,with the groove q2' and the rib p2, substantially as shown and specied.

5. The combination 'of the casting Q and the shoe P, said casting having asegmental slide, g3, and said shoe having acombined lever and brace, P3, on which is astem, p3,which engages with said segmental slide, substantially as shown and specified.

6. The combination, in a mowing-machine, with the axle, tongue, and cutter-bar lifter, of the brace S, secured to-said axle at one end by a bearing, B, located between collars b b', l i and to said tongue near the other end, and exto the mechanism for driving the cutter-bar,

tending across said tongue and supporting said cutter-bar lifter upon its projecting end, substantially as shown and specified.

7. The combination, in a mowing-machine, of the axle B, wheel A, spokes a, turned out at the lower end where they enter the hub, the ratchet-wheels A2, the pawls a', and springs a2, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 28th day of November, A. D. 1882.

HORACE B. ALLEN. [1.. s]

In presence of- C. BRADFORD, E. IV. BRADFORD.

IOO 

